Sunday, June 29, 2014

MTC! June 12

Mia Family,

How are you? My P-Day is on Wednesdays so I figured I would hand write you this week. Kris dropped me off yesterday and it really is just a drop off.

I got a companion who just grabbed me and we checked in and I got my foreign language books and put my stuff in our room. 10 seconds later, I went to class and was greeted by this man speaking gibberish (Swedish) and looking at me like I should answer - ha!ha!

I got my companion, Aeldste Archibald and we did some online orientation and started learning Swedish. Aeldste Archibald is cool. He's from Shelley Idaho and graduated from high school 3 weeks ago like most Elders here. We get along really well and he's really sincere which helps the companionship.

Check out the street sign in the background!

I have another Elder, Elder Ort who is going to the West Indies speaking Dutch! He's the only one though so he was put in our companionship which we like to call the trifecta! He is from St. George and he actually has a really serious GF so hopefully he isn't dumped at the MTC. Aeldste Archibald and I leave on July 21st (well, estimated time). So all we do here is study but yesterday we had a few "mock" investigators that we taught as a class. Most people don't really know how to teach so some missionaries say things that are offensive when they don't mean to be. One of the "investigators" called on me and asked me my name and I totally said Jake instead of Elder Israelsen (this is more embarrassing than it sounds) but I was able to bear testimony of Christ and his love. It sounded cool coming out of my mouth but I realized that it isn't the perfect scripture or giving the most accurate answer, it's our testimony and letting the spirit use our simple testimonies to affect other people. So don't be afraid to say things if you feel the need.

Aunt Kris, Michael, Ryan and Nathan with Aeldste Israelsen

Ockso, I found out tomorrow we teach an unclasokare (investigator) pa swenska. So we shall see if my Swedish can handle it. I better pray for the spirit because we all know I can't say anything! Love you all, I'll be able to get my email next week this one was just an odd one. Jag aelskar dig!Aeldste Israelsen